I have a convection oven and microwave oven in one unit. The convection oven is fine but the microwave oven does not heat up. How can this be repaired. Time is of the essence because my dad thinks that I broke it (and I swear I did'nt) and he is making me miserable (OUCH mY HEAD) But seriously now I am not fooling here. Can this be repaired or not? Thank you

M.J.Org, July 2009

Louise may indeed be corrrect in her random-guess diagnosis - Wikipedia tells us that the components in the machine likely to cause the problem you have are...

a high voltage transformer, which passes energy to the magnetron

a cavity magnetron, which converts high-voltage electric energy to microwave radiation

a magnetron control circuit (usually with a microcontroller)

The door interlock switch may be defective or a fuse may have blown - so many choices...

Peccavi, July 2009

if the microwave switches on but does not heat up then the magnetron is broken.

Open the microwave and remove the magnetron it should be situated on the right hand side of the microwave when you open it up. Just take aphoto for the wiring puposes so you can put it back together again. A magnetron should cost you about +/- 4-500 Rand depending on where you purchase it from. Good luck and problem solved

louise Wepener (Royal Cape Town), July 2009

A microwave oven can be repaired - best done by a trained specialist either at a repair shop or a home visit. Not really a DIY job due to the dangers of the Very High Voltages and Dangerous Radiation that lurk inside.

Of more importance however is the relationship between you and your father. In my opinion you both need counselling - he for attempting to blame you for a random failure of a kitchen appliance and you for being such a whimp for permitting yourself to accept his critisism - your relationship is dysfunctional - parents and children do not generally behave this way towards one another.

Remind him that things in our life go wrong from time to time and that we should both expect this and accept it as part of life's rich pageant - if the TV goes Bang! when you switch it on, it is somewhat ludicrous and completely irrational to blame the person who pressed the button.

Good luck...

Peccavi, July 2009